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I _ ■ Weather Forecast^:; IwpSg||Si|pHflHlMsVw. ''■'I Mostly cloudy this afternoon, high totow 60s. ■••* wm&M Amusements ZijtfH Obituary Sfkifeiltft' ■ . ; Clearing tonight, tow about 43. Tomorrow . f # comics II Radio sonny andwrarmer._ : ■,». *ditoriai^„—JM* ‘ SocHtapaub^.-^M; y • i . Temperatures today-Hlgh, 55, at 1UO pm.: ag&$ MiilfcK g«*» ; ■ — low, 45, at. 5:15 ’ ul Yesterday—High, 64, ■ § ^Ilwmp -u——MM to jR® at 8:30 pm.:*Tnw**39, at 6:33 am. ; t Lost and f'ound-.A-S Woman's '9fp|§J§§p i: ' "■• *-■-■ p». Late New York Markets. Page ,, <,,Miw;<>«m.ii»ii J ■. .- u. L111-._~ 95th TEAK. No. 57,594 Phone NA. 5000. WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, ATKLb V,_ ~.wm me,.a^m-eo » - - - 4. I Durocher Ousted For r47 Season In M'Phail Feud Dressen Suspended for 30 Dpys by Chandler; Two Clubs Fined 3 ly **» Aisotiatod Pros* CINCINNATI, April 9.—In an action unprecedented in major league baseball, Commissioner A. B. Chandler today suspended Leo Durocher, manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, for the 1947 season. "Durocher has not measured up to the standards expected or required of managers of our baseball teams," the commissioner said in his ruling. "As a result of the accumulated unpleasant incidents in which he has been involved, which the com missioner construes as detrimental to baseball. Manager Durocher is hereby suspended from participat ing in professional baseball for the 1947 season.” Dressen Oat 30 Days. The commissioner also announced the following other actions as a re sult of an investigation launched after Larry MacPhail, general mana ger of the New York American League club, brought charges of defamation against Durocher and Branch Rickey, head of the Brooklyn Dodgers: Suspended Chuck Dressen, former coach of the Dodgers and now a member of the Yankee coaching staff, for 30 days beginning April 15: Fined the Brooklyn club and the New York Yankee club $2,000 each, and Fined Harold Parrott, traveling secretary of the Brooklyn team, $500 for “writing a deliberately derog atory” newspaper article about per sons in baseball and violating Com missioner Chandler’s order to remain silent after a hearing at Sarasota. Fla. Statement Disproved. Evidence produced at a hearing, ♦he commissioner reported, dis proved a statement—allegedly made by Durocher—that two gamblers were guests of MacPhail at a base ball game in Havana. The commissioner also held that Rickey had not made such a charge. Dressen’s suspension, it developed, was the result of his leaving the Dodger club to work for the Yankees. The commissioner said he was convinced Dressen had agreed to remain with Rickey for two more years, although no formal contract had been signed. (Durocher probably will fly West tonight with his movie actress wife, Laraine Day, it was learned from an authoratlve source in New York. i Miss Day has passage on a TV'A plane leaving La Guardia , Field at 11:30 p,m. lor-Ltk^ Angeles. Durocher, upon learning of his suspension., was tinder stood to have sought passage on ♦he same flight.) Chandler's Statement. The text of Commissioner Chand- j ler's statement: “On 15 March, 19*7. L. S. Mac Phail, president of the American League Baseball Club of New York, Tnc., placed in the hands of the commissioner a request for a hear ing determine whether: (a) Certain statements appearing in the public press, alleged to have been made or issued by Branch Rickey, president, and Leo Durocher. man ager of the Brooklyn Baseball Club, and <b> articles appearing in thej Brooklyn Daily Eagle, under the by-line of Leo Durocher. were au thentic, and whether Mr. Rickey and the Brooklyn club might be held responsible, and whether thetr; publication might be considered con duct detrimental to baseball. “At the same time Charles Dres sen. a coach for the American ( League Baseball Club of New York, filed with the commissioner a pro test against certain statements al legedly made ‘both publicly and pri vately’ by Mr. Rickey and Mr. Dur-| oener. “Newspaper report* quoted Mr. Rickey and Mr. Durocher a* saving that two alleged gamblers were Mac Phail's guests at one or more ex-i hibition games between the Yankees! and the Dodgers in Grand Stadium,! Havana. Cuba, on 8 and 9 March! 1947. Mr. Rickey was quoted as say-' ing ‘apparently there are rules for Durocher and other rules for the rest of baseball.’ Article b Quoted. “In the article Durocher Says' ap pearing in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle on March. 1947. admittedly written! by Harold Parrot there appears the following: “ ’He (referring to MacPhaili tried to drive a wedge between myself and all these things I hold dear. When MacPhail found I couldn’t be in duced to manage his Yankees for any of his inducements, he resolved to knock me and to make life as hard as possible for me • * * but surely people must recognise that it. is the (Continued on Page A-19. Col. 3.)j Rickey Not Yet Ready To Pick New Manager ly Atsociot*d frwi \ NEW YORK. April 9.—President Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers, recovering from the first shock of his manager's banishment from baseball for the 1947 season, said today he was not yet ready to name a pilot to succeed Leo Duro cher. "1 have an idea who it will be, but I can’t tell you now,” he said. Asked if Durochers salary, re ported to be close to $70,000 a year, with bonuses, would be paid in the face of his suspension. Rickey Dodged the issue. Rickey eliminated Dixie Walker. Dodger outfielder, from the field of candidates for Durocher's job. "Walker never has been considered tn a managerial capacity.” he said. Either Ray Blades or Pepper Mar tin was expected to be Rickey's choice.' LEO DU ROCHE R ~-AP Wirephoto. Bushfield Charges Aid To Stop Reds Follows World War II Pattern U. S. Heads for Conflict, South Dakotan Says in First Opposition Speech BULLETIN The program of aid to Greece and Turkey to check communism is following the pattern that led us into World War II, Senator Bushfield, Re publican, of South Dakota told the Senate today in the first opposition speech on the is sue. "Undoubtedly the United States is heading once more for a world war," Senator Bushfield said. Senator Mar tin. Republican, of Pennsyl- j vania, who said he is not op posing the Greek-Turkish pro gram, declared the American people should be told they must cut down on Government spending at home if they em bark on financial aid to other countries. GREECE OPENS DRIVE to crush; rebels in Macedonia, Thessaly. | Page A-3j By J. A. O'Leory A prediction that not more than 12 Senate votes will be cast against aiding Greece and Turkey to check the spread of communism was made today by Senator Connally, Democrat, of Texas. The Texan, former chairman of, the Senate Foreign Relations Com-; mitt.ee, will follow up t.he strong; defense of the $400,000,000 program! delivered yesterday by Senator Van-! denberg, Republican of Michigan,i the present committee chairman.; but he may wait until tomorrow to| address the Senate. The House Foreign Affairs Com mittee continues public hearings on the issue today, but will be ready to take the bill to the floor of the House by the time the Senate com pletes action, probably next week. Senate debate may be interrupted; for .a few hours today by a final round of arguments on the nomi-| nation of David E. Lilienthal to: head the Atomic Energy Commis-| sion. The Senate has agreed toj vote at 5 p.m. on Mr. Lilienthal. Pepper Renews Attacks. Two Democrats—Senators Pepper, of Florida and Johnson of Colorado1 -renewed their attacks on the ex-1 tension of direct American assist ance to Greece and Turkey. Senator Pepper told reporters the bill aims a "mortal blow" at the United Nations. He had previously indicated, however, that he would support, the measure on the final roll call, even if further amend- j ments fail. senator Jonnson wery on the air Last night to call the Cfrcco-Turkish 1 a'd bill a “monstrous proposal” which would pave the way for giv- 1 ing “huge gobs” of American money to “any international bandit who screams ‘communism.’ ” Senator Pepper favors non-mili tary relief for Greece, but wants it j donated through the pooled efforts! of the United Nations. Senator; Johnson would require Greece to get rid of its king before receiving non- j military aid from this country. He also would exclude Turkey. Fears Aggression Everywhere. Senator Vandenberg warned the; Senate yesterday that rejection of; the bill would encourage aggression everywhere. “Let’s be plain about it.” he said. “It is a plan to forestall aggression, which, once rolling, could snow-ball into global danger of vast de (See FOREIGN, Page A^6 ) 1 U. S., Britain Ask Return of Reich Lands by Poland Border Change to Aid German Agriculture Opposed by Soviet By th« Associated Frets MOSCOW, April 9.—Britain and the United States proposed to the Council of Foreign Min isters tonight a revision In the present German-Polish frontier to put agricultural lands inside Germany, but Russia opposed any changes. French Foreign Minister Georges Bidault proposed that the whole question be studied further, but he did not commit France as being in favor or opposed to present German boundaries. Secretary of State Marshall and British Foreign Secretary Bevin quoted heretofore secret speeches of Prime Minister Stalin at Potsdam to show that the generalissimo did not consider as final the present admin istrative Polish border—set at the Oder and Neisse Rivers by the Big Three Potsdam Conference. Both maintained that Mr. Stalin agrered that the border set at Pots dam was provisional and would be settled finally at the peace con foron no Special Commission Asked. Gen. Marshall proposed that the Council of Foreign Ministers name a special boundary commission to recommend a permanent German Polish frontier. Russian Foreign Minister Molotov maintained that Germany's eastern frontier was fixed finally at Pots dam and that the peace conference merely would “formalize” the agreements made there. He asserted that the Eastern bor der revision now in effect had given back to Poland “the cradle of *the Polish state.” Mr. Bevin said that after the last war many felt that the Polish bor der had been pushed too far “east ward” and that there was a danger this time that the frontier might be pushed “too far west.” He cited crowded conditions in Germany and asked: “Is it likely to produce peace if Germany is forced to become a highly industrialized state, which reverses the pastoral concept held during the war?” Mr. Bevin said the British dele gation had felt “grave doubts” at Potsdam in agreeing even provision ally to placing the German area \ between the East and West Neisse Rivers in Polish hands. Wants Coal to Be Available. The commission proposed by Gen. Marshall would be composed of the United States, Britain, Russia and France,-Vlus Poland and some other Allied states. He suggested that the commission also study measures to assure that the natural and industrial resources in question “shall fairly serve” the economic needs of Europe. “It will be accepted, I think,” Gen. Marshall told the conference, “that Southern East Prussia should be come Polish territory. German Up per Silesia and its industrial com plex should become Polish, but there should be provisions to assure that its coal and other resources should be available to help sustain the economy of Europe. me division oi me remaining territory, largely agricultural land, requires consideration of the needs of the Polish and German peoples and of Europe as a whole.” Aims to Avoid Continuing Issues. Gen. Marshall asked a settlement which would not "provide enduring ana popular issues for the enemies of democracy and freedom in Ger many,” He also urged that the ter ritorial-solution be not one which 'would create international fric-1 tion." Poland would not be deprived ofj compensation for territories lost to Ihe Soviet Union, Gen. Marshall j >aid, and “the new frontiers of Po-j and must, be adequate to give Po-| and resources at least as great as ihe had before the war and capable 1 if maintaining her peoples at a food standard of life.” (A large area of East Poland | was incorporated into Russia in the settlement which gave Po land former German lands.) Germany's Needs Cited. j Respecting Germany's need6, Gen. I viarshall said: “German prewar imports of food- j stuffs provided about one-fifth of , the total food consumed in Ger many. Before the war the Ger-j ("See MOSCOW, Page~A-6.) j Last Yanks Quit Iceland > REYKJAVIK, Iceland, April 9 UP)- 1 —The last American soldiers sta tioned in Iceland were en route home 1 today, thus ending nearly six years 1 of American military protection of 1 this island. ! Thousand Tardy VA Workers Caught by Check at Entrance About a thousand tardy employes were stopped at the doors of the Veterans Administration this morn ing as they came to work—anywhere from one to 45 minutes late. Begining at 8:15, long lines formed at the doors of the agency's building at Vermont avenue and H street N.W. Personnel heads admitted the tardy workers, one by one, after carefully listing their names and offices. The tardy check was made after frequent warnings by Veterans’ Administrator Bradley. It was the first step, officals said, in an attempt to stop employes who report for work late and leave early. The lines formed again shortly after 11 o'clock to register workers going out for lunch. Other checks will be made as workers return from lunch and when they leave for home in the evening, it was said. Offices were abuaz with talk of the check. Some office heads said they were forced to stagger hours, thereby allowing employes to come in late because they worked later in the evening. Old-timers said the check was reminiscent of the days of former Administrator Prank Hines, when, in the mornings, gates slammed across all but one entrance to the building and a loud bell signaled the start of the day's work. In those days, they said, bells also rang for lunch’, rest periods and quitting time. And each viola tea had to give in writing his reason for being tardy. Hie latter became a part of his permanent record and the minutes he was late were sub tracted fTom annual leave. Omer Clark, chief aide to Gen. Bradley, refused to «ive an estimate of the number of workers stopped today. One official said he was given the 1.000 figure by a personnel chief. Lewis to Reject Pacts Lacking Welfare Fund & Says Coal Royalty Must Be Doubled To Meet All Needs By James Y. Newton John L. Lewis said flatly to day that he would sign no con tract with soft coal mine owners which does not include provi sion for a health and welfare fund for his mine workers and that the present “take” of the fund would have to be doubled in order to meet all require ments upon it. The mine union head made his remarks at a news conference held by the three trustees, of which he is one, of the miners’ welfare fund pro vided in the Government (Krug Lewis agreement) contract with the miners’ union. The other trustees are Navy Capt. N. H. Collisson, Fed eral coal mines administrator, and Thomas E. Murray, New York manu- j facturer, who was named chairman. Earlier today the National Coal Association, representing soft coal mine owners, accused Mr. Lewis; of promoting a "deliberate and pre- 1 meditated” strike in defiance of Fed - \ eral courts, as a major portion of the j Nation's mines remained rinsed I Benefits Retroactive to June. The trustees announced that first payments from the fund would be $1,000 to the families of all miners who die either from accident or natural causes. The death pay ments, the equivalent of a life in surance policy, will be made retro active to June 1 last year when collections under the fund first began. Thus the families of the 111 victims of the recent Centralia, 111., explosion will be among the first to benefit. Mr. Lewis estimated that such death payments would total $6, 700,000 annually. Mr. Murray, who is president of the Metropolitan Engineering Co. of New York and a director of Chrysler Corp., said the trustees would meet again next Tuesday to organize their administrative staff and to work out details for pay ments to distressed and injured miners. The fund now totals about $18, 000,000. It is on deposit in a New York bank to the account of the Paymaster General of the Navy and will be transferred to the trus tees. The fund had not been used until now because disagreement over appointment of a third trustee. The post was given to Mr. Murray. Five Cents a Ton Levy. The highly controversial miners' welfare fund is raised by a levy of five cents a ton on all salable coal mined. Secretary of Interior Krug included provisions fdr the fund in the agreement he negotiated with Mr. Lewis last May after the Gov ernment had seized the mines to end a 59-day strike. Refusal of the coal mine owners to give in to the Lewis demand for a welfare fund was one cause of the1 long strike. Mr. Lewis was asked today what would happen to the fund when the Government releases the soft coal mines which it must do June 30 under present law. "Just to put your mind at ease,” Mr. Lewis told the reporter. "I will say that the United Mine Workers have no intention of signing any contracts which do not contain provisions for welfare funds.” Mr. Lewis went on to say that the present 5 cents a ton "take” of the fund “is insufficient to carry out ill the obligations of the mine workers—obligations which we orig inally contemplated when we first made our demands." Says Larger Payments Needed. He said flatly that it would be lecessary to increase payments to ;he fund to 10 cents a ton in order o care for ail the cases of death, njury, hardship and distress among ,he miners. Mr. Lewis’ latest instructions to ;he miners—to return to work as juickly as mines are declared in onformlty with the Federal mine iafety code—was termed by the mine >wners as a "deceitful dodge” de iigned to break up a back-to-work (See COAL. Page A-fi7i House Charges Denied By Conciliation Chief! By th« Associated Press Edgar L. Warren, director of thej Federal Conciliation Service, said ] today he had never “advocated the < right of Government employes to strike.” 1 He also told a Senate Appropria- * tions Subcommittee that he had be- i longed to two organizations "desig nated as Communist fronts” for a 1 few months in 1938 but “withdrew ' from both of those organizations s early in 1939.” Mr. Warren left negotiations In > the telephone strike to appeal to the Senators to restore $598,400 which j the House cut from operating funds 1 of the Conciliation Service for the ( 1948 fiscal year. In the same action, the House eliminated funds for the job of the conciliator, many of his key officials and more than 100 conciliation em ployes. The slash was made by the House Appropriations Committee on the grounds that Mr. Warren had advocated the right of Govern ment employes to strike and had once belonged to the Communist front organizations. The Senate subcommittee also in vited Secretary of Labor Schwellen bach to present his case for a big ger Labor Department budget to day. "We are holding the door wide open for Secretary Schwellenbach, said Senator Know land, Republican, of California, chairman of the sub committee reviewing the House re ductions in the department's 1948 budget. The House pared the spendtag estimate from $31,850,700; to $18,136,200. 1 /VDuWlNTERFERING^ \1N THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS )OF GREECE AND TURKEY/ f V-^-— A-^f ytrrrnTnTiflfi Advice From an Expert on Internal Affairs i _ Cabinet Meets on Rising Prices, But Plans No Action, Ross Says No Emergency Session, Secretary Insists After Hour and 40 Minute Discussion By Joseph A. Fox President Truman discussed the problem of rising prices with his cabinet and top economic ad visers for an hour and 40 min utes today, but Press Secretary Charles G. Ross said later that no conclusion had been reached and that “no action was taken and no action is contemplated.” Mr. Ross sought to minimize the importance of the meeting by say ing that the cabinet was assembled today instead of Friday, the usual meeting day, because Dr. Edwin G. Nourse, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, who had pre pared the review of the continuing upward price spiral, had an engage ment which would not. permit him to come to the White House Friday. Some persons, Mr. Ross said, "seem to have gotten the impression that this was an emergency or crisis session” which he said it was not. Dr. Nourse, who was a White House caller yesterday, expressed concern over the price rise but Mr. Ross refused to say that he viewed it as “serious” in the discussion today. None of those who took part in the meeting would comment. In addition to the cabinet and Dr. Nourse those who sat in in cluded John Clark and Leon Keyser ling, other members of the Council (See PRICES, Page A-4.) House Group Accuses Dennis of Contempt For Defying Subpoena Citation Voted After Communist Secretary Refuses to Testify By Robert K. Wolsh The House Committee on Un-I American Activities voted unani mously today to cite Eugene Dennis, secretary of the pm munist Party of the United States, for contempt after he failed to respond to a subpoena. The committee also recommended that he be^prosecuted by the Justice Department on the more serious charge of conspiracy to commit con tempt. Dennis failed to appear before the committee this morning in answer to a subpoena issued by the com mittee March 26 when he refused to answer questions about his real name, age and place of birth. An eight-page typewritten statement was offered today by his attorney, Daniel Lapidus of New York City. 4 But the committee, after hearing reports by its investigators concern ing reported false statements made by Dennis in obtaining passports and in registering for the draft, decided to ask the House to cite lim for contempt, an offense pun ishable by a maximum penalty of bne year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Conviction on the charge of con spiracy to commit contempt, how ;ver, carries a maximum penalty of ;wo years and $10,000. The contempt citation *will have. (See UN -AMERICAN, Page A-4.) 3dm Thieves Bind Lady llchester, 72 By the Associated Press DORCHESTER, England, April 9. -Three robbers bound 72-year-old jady llchester today and stole part if her large collection of jewels. Her world-famous string of black learls, however, was not taken. Rel ieves estimated the loot was worth ibout $8,000. Lady llchester. who had been ill or two weeks after a heart attack, intied herself after a two-hour truggle and summoned police. I. P. Gregg Is Renominated John Price Gregg of Oregon was enominated by President Truman oday to be a member of the Tariff commission for a new term expir ng June 16, 1953. President to Meet Press President Truman will hold a news 1 conference at lo:30 am. tomorrow, t was announced at the White 1 Souse today._-_ 1 Late News Bulletin Arms Cut Put on Big 5 LAKE SUCCESS, N. Y. (ffW The United Nations Commis sion on Conventional Arma ments today saddled the five major powers with foil respon sibility for working oat pre liminary world arms reduction plans. (Earlier Story on Page A-5.) ' American Farmer Hit By Collier Off Norfolk; Vessel's Third Mishap Salvage Row Raged After Her Collision 700 Miles From England in T946 By th« Associated Pros* § NORFOLK, Va., April‘9.—The freighter American Farmer ad vised the Coast Guard at 9:36 a.m. today that she had been damaged in a collision with the large collier Pittsburg Seam 50 miles northeast of Cape Henry and was “trying to make New port News.” She was hit on the starboard side between No. 4 and No. 5 holds and was listing 9 degrees to starboard, the freighter radioed. The collision occurred off Parramore Banks whis tle buoy. The Coast Guard immediately dis patched a seaplane from Elizabeth City, N. C.; the cutters Cherokee and Agassiz from Norfolk, the buoy tender Speedwell from Chesapeake Bay and motor lifeboats from the Parramore and Machipongo lifeboat stations. Believed in Fog. The vessels in collision were be lieved to be in a foggy area, the Coast Guard added. The American Farmer, a ship of 8,258 tons of the United States Lines which normally carries a crew of 56, was eh route from Boston to Norfolk, the Coast Guard said. The Pittsburgh Seam, of 6,643 tons, is owned by Eastern Gas and Fuel Associates, Boston. Today's mishap to the Ameri can Farmer is the third to befall freighter in a little more than eight months. Last August she collided with the freighter William Riddle 700 miles off Land’s End, England, and a 20-foot hole was stove in the Ameri can Farmer's port bow. The ship was abandoned soon after the collision which occurred at midnight on a fog-blanketed sea. The skipper, Capt. Arthur P. Cronin, said on his return to New (See FARMER. Page A-4.) Sweeping Opposition To Gas Tax Increase Expressed at Hearing Bundles of Petitions Against D. C. Proposal Presented to Committee By John W. Thompson, Jr. A roar of opposition to a 1 cent increase in the District gasoline tax was heard today by a Senate-House committee studying the city’s money-rais Jos^rE^Keller, executive secre tary of the District Petroleum In d us Wes Committee, placed before the committee bundles of petitions which he said contained more than 20,000 signatures against the tax increase. Additional bundles of petitions also were added by J. M. Heiser, president of the federation of Busi ness Men’s Associations. Witnesses Oppose Boost. The petitions were accompanied by a parade of witnesses including truckers, cab drivers, automobile dealers and gasoline station opera tors, none (ft whom had a good word to say for the rate boost which Highway Director H. C. Whitehurst has testified is necessary to support the future highway program of the District. The committee hoped to dispose of the gasoline tax witnesses this morning and to begin taking testi mony on the proposed sales tax this afternoon. Most of the witnesses today based their opposition on the hardship a 1-cent increase in the cost of gasoline would impose on them in earning a living. Many admitted, under questioning by Acting Chair man Bates .they had given no de tailed study to the highway-im provement program. Woman Operator Testifies. Taxicab witnesses included Mrs. Lavona Haynes, who owns and oper ates her own cab. Mrs. Haynes told the committee she has to work 10 to 12 hours a day to make a living for herself and her three children. The tax increase, she said, would cost her $30 more a year, or the equivalent of four average working days. Other witnesses in this group included C. G. Hathaway, president of the Veterans’ Cab Association; Alden T. Keetlng of the Yellow Cab Co. and four of his drivers. William E. Humphreys, represent ing the District Trucking Associa tion, described Capt. Whitehurst’s program as “a beautiful nightmare.” He said the tax was not needed, and levied against a specific class for the benefit of the general public. Mr. Humphreys said he represented 1.400 trucks consuming 3,000,000 gal lons of gasoline a year. Price War Threat Seen. Lad Mills, a gasoline station op erator, said a leveling off of prices in the District, Maryland and Vir ginia might bring about a price war. "They start in the fringe,” 1» said, "and spread like grass fire.” The Virginia tax now is 6 cents per gallon, and the Maryland levy i cents per gallon, compared with the present 3-cent tax here. Other gas station operators who testified included F. M. McLaughlin and Clyde Sorrell. Stanley Homer, representing the (See FISCAL, Page A-4.) Lewis Drops In On Phone Pickets And Is Besieged for Autographs In high good humor, John L. Lewis ippeared at the striking telephone workers’ picket line in front of the 3. <te P. Telephone'Co., 727 Thir teenth street N.W., at 9:30 am. to iay. ' "I just stopped by to give a word >f encouragement to the strikers md to refresh my conviction they ire going to win,” the chief of the Jnited Mine Workers said. He was immediately surrounded jy a crowd of man and woman rickets asking for the mine leader's lutograph and anxious to get a look it him. With a stub of a cigar damped in his teeth and his hat pulled down far on his head, Mr. Lewis autographed 15 or 20 cards for the strikers. He broke his pencil jn the first autograph, but calmly, pulled out a pocket knife and sharp ened it. He got a laugh from the pickets when he said, "This is what [ use over at the United Mine Workers.” "I would have had a table put out here if I'd known I would have had to sign all these cards,” he said, and added a moment later in merry fashion, "I'm not as interested in you men as I am in these young ladies.” A moment later he amused his audience by saying to a young lady as he prepared to sign his name to a proffered piece of paper, "that’s not a promissory note, is it?” Picket captains came to the labor leader’s rescue when his pleas of an imminent appointment failed to stop the parade of autograph seek ers. The captain shooed their charges back into line with demands of “give him a break, willya?" After 15 minutes, Mr. Lewis doffed his hat, waved it in the air several ““J^caUy back to his waiting car. An equally in terested, M less demonstrative, audi ence of telephone company and supervisory workers, gathered in the windows of the company build ing during the incident. All Sides Agree Long-Line Phone Accord Is Near No Chance Seen for Return of Strikers Before Tomorrow First signs of & break in the Nation-wide telephone strike came today when company and union negotiators concurred with Federal conciliators that agreement is In sight in the key long-lines workers’ dispute. But as these weary conferees resumed discussions at 11 am., there was a warning not to expect an immediate termination of the strike that has tied up a big percentage of the Nation's long-distance and manually operated local service since Monday. Union leaders emphasized that any agreement tentatively arrived at in the long lines dispute would require approval of the National Federation of Telephone Workers’ Policy Committee. There will be no approval unless the way is cleared for general agreement satisfying tthe NPTW’s 39 striking units. Long Night Session Held. There seemed no chance that the 300,000 strikers would return to their posts before tomorrow. When a long night session be tween the American Telephone <fe Telegraph Co.’s long-lines division and the American Union of Tele graph Workers broke up at 4 am. today it was learned the dispute was hung on what form of arbitra tion would be employed. On informant said Federal con ciliators had written a contract for the long-lines dispute, leaving about live issues to be arbitrated. Among them were the demand for a $12 weekly wage increase and other wage benefits. John J. Moran, long-lines union president, said his organization had nothing to present to the Policy Committee yet. But when a re porter asked if the strike could end in the next 24 hours Mr. Moran nodded affirmatively. G. S. Drlng, assistant vice presi dent of A. T. <fc T.’s long lines divi sion, said some progress had been made but ^here are still some im portant points to be settled.” Meeting Reset for 3 P.M. In the face of this optimism, the NFTWs 49-member Policy Commit tee rescheduled an 11 am. meeting for 3 p.m. today, obviously to give the long lines negotiations time to reach an agreement which might be presented to the committee. Another meeting being watched here today brought together the Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. • and union representatives. There has been no apparent progress In this five-state organization since IHpg the disputants began talking here last Friday. in wasmngxon, union readers saia their membership still was on strike 100 per cent and that morale was high on the picket lines. More than 3,000 operators, clerical workers and cafeteria employes of the Wash ington Telephone Traffic Union, and upwards of 3,000 accounting, com mercial and maintenance workers of the District Federation of Tele phone Workers are idle. Several hundred Western Electric and near by Maryland workers also are out. Reporting increased efficiency in handling long-distance calls, the Chesapeake St Potomac Telephone Co. said it put through 83 calls be tween 7 and 8 a.m. today, 59 mors than in the same period yesterday. The company said it handled 4,800 calls from 6 ajn. to midnight yes terday, about double its flrst-day record. The company also announced 33 more workers on the job today than yesterday, bringing the total of non supervisory workers to 235 and the total working force to 882. Many Ordinary Calls Handled. “Telephone ' users can call any point in the United States in spite of the strike,” J. B. Morrison, C. ic P. vice president, said in a state ment. He said many calls other than emergency calls were being handled! With more than 40,000 supervisory workers assisting on traffic depart ment calls, reports showed more than four-fifths of the Bell Sys tem’s 26,000,000 phones were operat ing on a substantially normal basis, Mr. Morrison added. There have been no reports of breakdowns in the dial system here, serving 97 per cent of Washington, and the union said it had heard of no trouble elsewhere in the United States, which is equipped 60 per cent with dial phones. The C. & P. reported 100 per cent (See TELEPHONE. Page A-4.) 600 Million U. S. Loan' Pledged, Korean Says •y »h« Associated Sress SHANGHAI, April 9.—Dr. Syng man Rhee, Korean political leader who is visiting China at the invita tion of Generalissimo Chiang Kai shek, told reporters that President Truman had promised to make a 1600,000,000 loan to Korea as soon as a Korean government is formally recognized. He said the loan would be brought up for congressional study as soon as the bill to aid Greece and Turkey la DUt of the way. He visited Washing, ton recently. Dr. Rhee, who spend long years of exile in China, said he had no secret mission in China. After he has seen Gen. Chiang he said he would return to Korea to help or janize a provisional government in tmerican -occupied Southern Korea. He predicted the government would be formed in the near future ‘unless American military author ties place obstacles in the way.” He ■djjed: "I don’t think they will.” The government would be organ ®*for Southern Korea “for the present. Dr* Rhee also said He mped to initiate negotiations'*!"* ®cwl«t occupation authoritJ** for control to the north tnd withdrawal of rum**** force*.